To repeat a point made previously, U.S./Egyptian codependency is such that this guy could start wearing an S.S. uniform around Cairo and American diplomats would find a way to downplay it. “He’s just pandering,” “he’ll moderate in time,” “we’ll talk to him” — anything we can say to preserve this relationship and what little leverage we have over the region’s ascendant Islamist nutbags will be said. Here’s McCain, fresh off of a meeting today with Morsi, choosing door number three:

McCain said the delegation voiced its disapproval and had a “constructive discussion” with Morsi…

The delegation clearly sought to move beyond the unexpected diplomatic flap to focus on Egypt’s economy. McCain told reporters the congressional delegation will push for an additional $480 million in budget assistance to Egypt.

All of us are supportive,” he said. “We are working hard to try to see that this money is forthcoming.”

Economic and social collapse in Egypt will only make things easier for jihadis so the money must continue to flow. And American media will help to make that go down relatively smooth. National Journal has some spin tonight that I wasn’t expecting: They acknowledge that, yes, Morsi does mean what he says about hating Jews, but that’s okay because the hatred will become “inoperative” as the new Islamist Egypt and Israel are forced to coexist. Will it? Is Hamas’s hatred “inoperative”? Was Arafat’s inoperative after years of U.S. attempts to broker peace in the 1990s? The reason regional hatred for Israel is more or less “inoperative” is because the IDF has the capability to blow its enemies to smithereens if challenged. If that balance of power ever changes, you’ll see how inoperative the hatred is. But for now, let’s keep the charade and the foreign-aid bribes going for another few decades in the vain hope that liberal democracy will flower at last.

Now, go see how much Obama’s support for the Arab Spring has done for opinions about the U.S.